Fragments of Ecclesia
by Quita
Summary: /Order of Ecclesia/ - A series of one-shots and drabbles that range from humorous, to angst, pre-game shenanigans, and even AU crossovers with other Castlevania characters.
1. Young Ecclesians - Rainy Day

**Young Albus attempts to cheer up Young Shanoa on a rainy day.**

* * *

Rainy days had never been high on Shanoa's preference list as a child. When she was older they served for a good reason to curl up by the fire with a good book, but as a child they were almost too depressing - she loved to play and train outside, and sometimes would have to be rounded up in the evening to 'get back inside'.

With a sigh that was almost too heavy for such a little girl, she sat at one of the windows in the common room of the dormitories and looked outside forlornly. Bored and melancholy, her mood soured to the point where she nearly felt like crying, if only to match what the sky seemed to be feeling like.

"Hey, Shanoa!" Albus called as he entered the common room from the outer doors, kicking off his rainy-weather boots and moving to hang up his thick cloak - needing to jump to reach the hook. It took him a few attempts but he finally managed to hang his cloak. His hair was a bit damp but otherwise his light-coloured clothing was dry, as he had just jogged over from the library.  
"Aww, you look so sad." He observed, shoving in next to her by the window, crossing his arms on the windowsill and peering outside to see if she had been watching anything of interest. "Looks like this is going to keep up all day."

Shanoa sighed and rested her chin on her folded arms, leaning her head slightly so that it touched Albus's shoulder. "So forever then."

He laughed at that, and shook his head. "No, but it'll feel like it." He put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a light side-hug before backing away from the window, nearly flitting about on his tiptoes in excitement as he beckoned her to follow her over by the fireplace - he had a new trick he wanted to show her.

Producing a small writing notebook, he sat on the carpet near the hearth and started to sketch out a glyph circle.

"A glyph?" Shanoa asked quietly, though she knew he could already sketch out most glyphs, but adding power to them wasn't something he was able to do yet due to the age constrictions of their order.

"Yes, but this notebook is imbued, and I can practice my glyph work with it - but I can't do anything big - but watch this-"

The sigil in the middle of the glyph spell circle was left open to whatever he wanted to add, and the power of the book would make a small magical manifestation of whatever the user intended. But as Albus had said, only simple and small things, and the illusion would only last a short while.  
He sketched an origami crane in the middle and soon a translucent white paper bird emerged from the book and took flight into the air around the children.

Clapping her hands together, Shanoa looked on in awe at the spell, and watching it circle about once more and then fade as it dove back down towards the amateur spell book.

"What next?" Albus asked with a patient smile, pen at the ready.

"Draw a flower?" She asked quietly, then considered something. "Or is that 'for girls'?"

"No, I can draw a flower for you," He replied. "And I'll do better than one," Scribbling another glyph circle, he wouldn't let her see what the pretend sigil was, until he put both his hands out and drew upwards a transparent illusion in the form of a circle of wildflowers that he then leaned forward to 'place' on her head.

Shanoa giggled at the gesture, bowing her head slightly when receiving her floral 'crown'. "Thank you."

"One more touch…" Albus was already fast at work at sketching another glyph, soon creating a yellow butterfly to emerge from the book, to which it then flitted about and landed to perch on one of the flowers on Shanoa's head. "There. Beautiful."


	2. Behind the Scenes - Lessons

**Albus lectures about Glyphs**

* * *

"As you know, our clan was created for the purpose of eradicating Dracula. To this end, they research glyphs and other magical techniques. Glyphs - essentially, an artistic symbol representing the power that dwells within all things. Each symbol contains a great deal of magical energy, which can be released if one properly channels magic through the glyph itself."

'Instructor' Albus pauses and turns to a drawing on the chalkboard that vaguely looks like a 3/4 back view Shanoa, gesturing at the shoulder and its tattoo-like circle of power.  
"In one rare instance, one of our female warriors was found to possess a unique ability that allowed her to channel power through runes that are marked on her body. Others including myself, had previously failed all attempts to use our own bodies as a conduit for our arts. So I myself am therefore limited to relying on enchanted leather armor, and using Agartha, my charmed firearm. I can channel glyph energy into bullets, which then become magical projectiles."  
Another pause, to which he draws his flintlock gun from its holster and points to the engravings along the side.

"If you were to load the glyph-imbued cartridges into a regular firearm, it would likely dismantle itself. There has to be some kind of containment spell in the form of an etched design, rune or mandala to keep the magic from overloading whatever is channeling it. Therefore, when I use glyphs such as Ignis, Fulgur, Grando, Acerbatus, and even when I combine Luminato and Umbra, with such a 'decorated' device, I have little concern for any of them backfiring or causing undue surprises."

With a final pause, Albus checks the time and then insists that 'class is dismissed'.

* * *

**How Ecclesians get things done in a training exercise**

* * *

"Showtime." Albus grinned, after having stated that he and his combat partner would 'show them how it's done'.

A sigh was heard from inside the suit of their armor-clad opponent. Their fellow kinsman was more-than-aware of how things were about to go, and wasn't very keen on battling through another defeat; likely hating 'this part' quite voraciously.

"Lighten up, Stefan." Albus called over, a grin on his face as he and Shanoa took crouching 'ready' stances next to each other a fair ways away from the armored man. "Be a sport."

"Easy for you to say, Sir."

When they started, Albus immediately vaulted high into the air and let loose a few regular shots at their 'foe' to provide cover fire for Shanoa as she ran low towards the moving 'tin can', brandishing dual rapiers.  
While the two melee combatants battled, Albus landed and circled around to look for an opening to exploit.  
Their training partner feinted and caught Shanoa off guard for the briefest instant -causing her to merely misstep, but the action cost her the attention of her opponent, who then speed-dashed towards Albus, aiming high at the marksman with a horizontal slash of his sword. The researcher's eyes went wide before he leaned far back to avoid the blade, and when it looked like he was about to fall, he arced into a backwards kickover (back-flip/handstand), setting off his Quadruple Ignis ability defensively rather than offensively.

His opponent hesitated at the flames, which cost him the match as he was suddenly yanked back into a vulnerable position. Shanoa had wrapped one arm around his armored neck and brandished a glowing rapier at his throat, and Albus stood with his firearm aimed right at the metal helmet.  
Conceding the fight, their opponent double-tapped Shanoa's arm and let out a sigh, really hating 'that part' even more.


	3. LoS2 AU Crossover - Easter Dinner

**Easter Feast at Ecclesia - Featuring little Trevor from Lords of Shadow **(Alternate Universe + pre-game) **  
**

* * *

The dining hall was quite crowded by the time Albus and Trevor arrived, eyes falling upon many nondescript Ecclesian men and women in their fancy gentile Easter wear, but the brunt of the crowd consisted of local guests and contacts from sister-clans and organizations.

The two 'boys' bustled their way in, or rather Albus bustled ahead to make way for his shorter companion to find a good spot near the center of one of the long tables.  
And though he quietly 'admitted' that the best food was always at the center of the table, it was more than obvious that he had hustled his way over to where his combat partner had already seated herself. Not that he would ever admit it on his own.  
He grinned cheekily at the formally-dressed Shanoa (wearing a rather lacy dress of soft pastel tones to match the occasion) when sliding on to the bench next to her. A silent exchange of looks passed between them, and he then scooted to the right and patted the open space, indicating for Trevor to take a seat between them.

At the far end of the room, the head table sat on a raised dais, where Master Barlowe and the leaders of visiting clans presided, though the seat to his immediate right was unoccupied…  
Albus caught the elder's gaze for a moment and was discreetly beckoned forward by his master. In return he gave the faintest shake of his head 'no' and made a vague gesture at Trevor while offering a sly grin. Barlowe looked at the researcher blankly for half a moment before kindly smiling and nodding in accordance; accepting that his pupil had a guest that they wished to entertain.

The look his companion made was expected, and he quietly offered a vague response. "The master was wondering why I am still sitting with my colleagues. Old habits die hard ~"

When prompted by his guest, he sighed quietly and elaborated a bit further, begrudgingly. "My promotion is still quite new to me, and some of the elevated 'perks' ruffle my feathers a bit… though through no fault of my own it cost me a lot of 'friends' afterwards… which is for the best, I suppose. I have little time now to be social, as it were."

Turning to sit properly along the benches, the 'boys' finally got a good look at the 'spread' laid out before them The two long tables had been set with the most expansive variety of food either of them had likely seen in some time. There were at least eight kinds of meat dishes and roast animals, umpteen styles of vegetable servings, four kinds of bread and dinner rolls, and more appetizers than either of them could count consisting of all manner of snack-sized portioned food.  
Up and coming were to be at least three kinds of pie and several delectable cakes to choose from. Or sample indefinitely.

During the meal, Albus was discreet and quiet whenever he decided to be a bit of a pest. In between passing plates of food down the line, he grabbed a flower that garnished one of the appetizer plates and had flatly passed it to Trevor, stating 'here, eat this'. At another point, he had poured a half-glass of fruity red wine, shoulder-checking before he pushed the glass over to his young friend and reached for another glass to fill for himself.

"Gave this stuff up for _Lent_." He murmured, toasting Trevor's glass regardless of whether or not he had taken it up. "And being mean to my partner."

Shanoa had heard that last bit, only giving the faintest huff of laughter and a shake of her head, keeping her gaze fixed on her plate, before someone to her left engaged her in conversation again.

"Might have broken it a few times." Albus smirked, taking a sip from his glass, then proceeding to ask if Trevor's order enforced or encouraged the 40-day '_sacrifice'._


	4. PoR AU Crossover - Time with Charlotte

Alternate Universe drabbles featuring Charlotte Aulin

* * *

**Bad Situations for Two - Car dies while in the middle of nowhere.**

* * *

A heavy, irritated sigh sounded from under the hood of the car. Albus was up to his elbows in the stalled car engine trying to check every part for a break or malfunction. The engine hadn't overheated and here was still gas in the tank so something else was the problem. But nothing had presented itself as the problem yet.

"This could have been avoidable. At least it's a nice day and we're not in a hurry," Charlotte in the meanwhile sat on the trunk of the car and reclined against the rear window, cloud gazing as there wasn't anything she could really do to help - aside from keep her big mouth shut but Albus knew that wasn't going to happen any time soon. "I mean, if we had stopped at that gas station like I had _said_-"

"-FUEL IS NOT THE PROBLEM!" Albus roared, slamming his hands on the sides of the car, the open hood of the car slightly muffling and echoing his outburst - right before the support rod gave way from the jolt and dropped the hood on his head with a resounding thud. Instead of swearing out loud, Albus held his head and a growl of pain emerged through grit teeth.

The other scholar was about to ask if he was alright, but she knew better. He was fine if he was still making noise, and if she had queried about his well-being, she would have received an angry 'yes I'm fine' and a more subdued 'sorry' some minutes later when he had calmed down. Though once he had simmered down, she asked somewhat crudely 'Ya'll right?' over her shoulder, and was given a quiet 'yeah' in return.

Eventually he deduced that the battery was old and had crapped out on them - an easy enough fix for the moment between the two of them jump-starting it with filtered versions of their lightning spells.

Returning to the inside of the car, Albus put it in gear and before he tramped on the gas pedal he paused to smirk at Charlotte over in the passenger seat "Next time, let's just go by broom.

* * *

**[Characters] are blowing off steam by doing something silly.** (Scenario was an idea from some visiting friends)

* * *

"I'm going to go cross-eyed if I stare at this stupid book a moment longer~" Charlotte groaned, slamming shut the tome before her, the title being in Latin and the contents in the same language, regarding a vague outlining of Ecclesia's glyph machinations.

Albus made a quiet 'hmph' sound as he closed his own book, one on the finer points of enchanting tomes with magical properties, and offered a small smile to the other scholar. "Time for a break. And I think we should do something… terrible."

A few minutes later they had taken apart a very outdated religious gazette newsletter and had made paper airplanes (as instructed by Charlotte, where as Albus had opted to fold cranes that an exchange student had taught him to make), taking turns firing them towards a waste paper basket across the room from where they sat, reclined in their chairs and resting their feet on the fine mahogany desk like a couple of delinquent students.

They didn't care, they had run of the library and no one could tell them what to do. …At least for the moment.


	5. LoD AU - Of Cats and Trees

**Tree Climbing - Shanoa's folly**

* * *

Albus's jaw was set off-kilter, as per usual when he was irritated. Normally he would be fine with his present situation but as the factors were different than the usual fare he couldn't help but just let his mood tank.

"Was it worth it to save that cat?" He asked, trudging along with an injured Shanoa whom he carried piggy-back style. She had twisted her ankle when she had miscalculated her last jump out of a tree she had climbed to save a stranded cat. Which had run squalling off into the bushes right after. Ungrateful little hairball.

It was a long way back to Ecclesia and he did not have the energy to warp or hasten his movements for himself, let alone with another person in tow. It was going to be a long evening. She did not say much in response, and there was a quiet 'I'm sorry' in there somewhere - he could not be bothered to remember as it all became a blur of both anger at his failing to catch her, and his concern for her injury.

What felt like hours later, they made it back to Ecclesia and he took her to the infirmary. Though it was past hours for the resident nurse to be available, Albus took it upon himself to bind Shanoa's ankle with bandage strips himself, and then assisted her in hobbling back to her room. Once they got the rest of her armor off, he insisted she get some rest and tucked her into her bed.

She grabbed his hand when he attempted to leave and whispered a quiet 'thank you', her face though tired and in pain, was sincere concerning her gratitude.

Albus let out a breath, which sounded a bit like a laugh. "Get some rest." Afterward he leaned over to brush her bangs out of her eyes so he could place a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

**Tree Climbing - 2nd Generation** _(AU Headcanon that one or both (preferably both) of the Ecclesians parented Carrie Fernandez. Shush I think it's cute.)_

* * *

"Daddy!" The six-year-old Carrie screeched from up the tree she had gotten herself stuck in, while sitting on a sturdy bough and wondering how to climb back down again. She was dark haired and bright eyed - small for her age but she made up for her physical limitations with her intelligence and spirit.

As her father was magically inclined of sorts, he suddenly appeared next to her on the bough of the tree. He was always well-dressed, stood tall and proud, though his hair was either a golden haystack or a sandy-brown mess, depending on the season. Nothing could tame that hair.

"Whoa, no falling, dear." Albus uttered as he moved to steady his understandably-startled child. Observing the scenario, he soon gave her a soft smile and quietly stated that she was just like her mother, to which Carrie flushed pink, and crossed her arms in a huff. "Now, what's all the screaming for?"

"I'm stuck up here." She stated, her face very much communicating her disbelief that he had no idea what the problem was.

"And what if no one was around?"

"You're never far - you always hear me when I call." A nonchalant look as she turned up her nose, satisfied with her reply.

Her father's expression flattened, however. Though he was amused by his cheeky daughter, he wouldn't let on to the fact readily. "Just because your mother can fly and I can teleport does not mean you'll be getting free rides your whole life."

A light pout formed on her lower lip, but like a good girl she had too much dignity to let it devolve into whining.

"Tell you what, we'll climb down together - if you promise to pay attention to the method?" Though she nodded, he shook his head and peered at her closely. "Say it then. Say 'Papa I promise to listen to your brilliant lecture on how to climb out of a tree or else I forfeit my desserts to you for a week.' All right?"

Put in modern terms, the closest description of Carrie's reaction was 'Oh my god, dad are you serious?!'.

"Close enough." With a laugh, Albus shook his head and turned his back to Carrie, allowing her to gingerly climb so that she could be piggy-backed down to the ground.


	6. Poetic - Albus's Descent

For this entry, it took both myself and my spouse to delve into some of the 'what ifs' surrounding the inner machinations of a Dominus corrupted Albus.

* * *

**Descent into madness**

* * *

_Failure. Failure! FAILURE!_

That was all he could hear in his mind  
Mentally scolding himself again and again for messing up so bad  
What had he done? What hadn't he done?

It was all too far-gone now  
Too late to fix  
Too late to apologize  
And too late to save himself  
…Or her

Dominus had been retrieved  
But at what cost?  
What further payment would he make?  
After his defection  
It became necessary to hide  
in dilapidated hellholes that no human would dare enter  
Lest he snap and harm them

The monsters that flocked to the monastery  
Drawn to Dominus's power  
Were of little consequence  
They were obstacles  
They were armor  
They were tools he would use  
And use them he did  
Until she came barging in that door some weeks later  
The light had gone out of her eyes  
and a determination set on her face  
that he had never seen before  
He knew why she was there  
The old man brainwashed her against him  
And the real truth of the matter  
Shattering what was left of him

He thought he had been ready to face her  
Knowing what he had done  
And what harm he had caused her mind  
…But he had been ill prepared

Raging  
He blamed everyone and everything  
All of creation  
But most of all  
He blamed himself  
The last of his humanity tucked itself away  
And he coldly soldiered on  
Leaving her relics to help her keep up  
But his old self was gone  
And was not the benefactor  
It was whatever that he had become  
That decided to play with the little sparrow  
Amused by her endless pursuit  
There were moments of clarity in the fog  
But as time went on his 'payment'  
Slowly started to twist things askew  
Things that would have made him cringe  
Or say 'no, stop' to himself  
No longer held any consequence  
Kidnapping the villagers was a definite 'no'  
That his old self would have voiced  
But did not  
Save for treating them gently  
As he withdrew blood samples  
And sealed them away

But why to that effort?  
Did he seal them away for their safety?  
As a challenge to his pursuer?  
So she would grow stronger with each trial?  
Or did he condemn the last of the Belmont line?

He didn't know…  
His mind as addled as it was  
Was not about to clarify.  
And the longer he let the whispers from those damned books  
Comfort his shattered soul  
The more he longed for it all to be finished  
Regardless of what he had to give up.

* * *

**Last thoughts, before the Shadows of Dominus take him.**

* * *

I set out to save you.  
I set aside my duties, I had cast off my title, given up my home, deserted my friends.  
I strode out alone, all in the hope of doing what he called impossible.  
I would give it all, again. Just to bring back what he had taken.  
I strode with purpose, with a burning need to bring you back.  
Yet as time passed, I realized I couldn't, and knew that darkness was taking me.  
So, I set out to prepare you.  
Knowing full well, that I was preparing my own end.  
You look at me with eyes vacant of emotion.  
Where once there had been joy, there is now emptiness.  
Where once there had been laughter, now only hollowness.  
Where once there had been life, now there is only the order to claim it.  
Now those eyes, once filled with such life, now echo with the lies of the betrayer.  
Once we were one, we had stood together in the sun, once we had been something more.  
And now I stand here at the edge of oblivion, and I know now that this is the last time.  
Ironic, in the end, it was me who needed saving.  
Perhaps I can't save you, but I will always be with you.  
And perhaps in time, we'll be together again.  
When all turns to silver and light, when all the darkness fades away with the pain.  
There, beyond the veil of the end, I'll be waiting.  
I know you don't remember those days we spent together.  
But know those memories kept me going, they kept me from the darkness.  
You, kept me from darkness, right till the end.  
My story ends, but I hope that this final gambit, this final meeting,  
Will be enough to bring you back to me,  
Even if it is my memories I leave to you, my feelings.  
Come back to me, Shanoa.  
I need you to smile again.  
I need you.


	7. Obligatory Angst Scenes

**A younger Shanoa deals with some anger issues**

* * *

She raged, growling to herself as she picked up items around her room and tossed them about, frustrated beyond all reason - it wasn't fair - not fair in the slightest!

Why did they have to torment her like that? It wasn't her fault that she was much more adept at their lessons, and was gifted with strange powers…And having loudly voiced such a thing had garnered her disapproval from her instructor and even Master Barlowe.

Lord, why hadn't she just taken the scholar route? No, she had decided to be different from the norm and become a melee fighter - something that was near-unheard of. She had wanted to be different, be inspiring, and to make her closest kin proud of her.

Breaking down into angry sobs, she flipped her desk over and just stared at the papers and writing utensils that scattered about, soon sitting down in the middle of the mess and burying her face into her arms. She didn't know long she had sat there, quietly sobbing to herself, angry with the world for everything, until a quiet voice sounded right next to her.

"Hey…"

She jumped a bit, startled to see that Albus had let himself into her room and was crouching next to her with a concerned look plastered on his face. She hadn't seen him for more than a fleeting glance in several weeks, as he had been hard at work on his master's thesis and had no time for anyone, or anything much for that matter.  
Her eyes welled up with more tears, so very glad to see whom she felt was her only friend in that moment, crawling over to throw her arms around him tightly.

"It'll be all right…" Albus soothed, hugging her tightly and stroking the back of her head.

Yes, it would be all right… wouldn't it?

* * *

**A.k.a. Albus Mode Bad Ending**

* * *

Red-eyed, shoulders sagging, and loosely gripping a bouquet of flowers, Albus approached the final resting place of his dearly departed friend and combat partner.

Things had gone so terribly wrong while he had been out on an 'important' mission that Master Barlowe had sent him on. Albus had returned to find an empty Ecclesia, with Barlowe mysteriously gone, and the lifeless corpse of Shanoa laying near the shattered remains of the vessel that their 'master' had guarded so closely.

In so many ways Albus had failed and had nearly broken under the weight of his losses. After mourning his dead companion for what seemed like an agonizing eternity, he had taken care and effort to prepare and bury Shanoa somewhere peaceful, far away from the corruption of the place they had called home and had unknowingly been raised as sacrifices for Dracula's resurrection.

When the Lord of Darkness fell by his hand, there was no peace in his mind, no rest for his soul, no forgiveness in his heart.

And even though he defeated Dracula, he had still failed at everything he had fought for.

"Shanoa," His voice was quiet and broken as he sunk to his knees before the simple stone cross marker at the head of her grave, the flowers tumbling out of his hand as he was suddenly preoccupied with wiping away his tears. "…I am so sorry…"


	8. More Angst - A Trial of the Heart

**Prompted by a 't****rial of the heart' sort of situation from an RP thread.  
****Albus goes through a form of personal psychological Hell, and this is how it could have been prior to his findings on Dominus's true nature.**

* * *

It was hazy that morning, the sun hiding behind the clouds and refusing to come out . _'Not the best way to start the day,'_ he thought. Gloomy days always brought his mood down. Albus liked the sun, for what little he did get to see of it - and he hadn't really noticed how bad it was when he was told directly that he could be quite the sour puss on rainy days. _ 'As long as it doesn't rain.'_

Another glance at the sky and he considered that the position of the faint light behind the clouds was a bit high. He grabbed for his pocket watch on the bedside table and flipped open the cover - oh Hell he had slept in! Grumbling to himself inaudibly, he went about his normal morning routine, feeling his heart sink even further.

And then while rinsing his face and drying it, his thoughts turned to his anxiety regarding getting wet - there wasn't a lot that he could recall, just fragments where he and another of the boys from his orphanage had struggled for their lives in raging waters - where it was and what was going on was lost to him - but he could hear their adolescent cries and could feel the harsh chill of the water again… the other boy hadn't survived and he himself had succumbed to the dark oblivion of the water as well - awakening after being revived by someone who had saved him.

_'What the hell…'_ Albus paused and looked at himself in the mirror, frowning profusely as he admonished himself for conjuring up that old memory that he had previous thought to have tucked away and out of mind.

Ready for the day, after a few shaving knicks, fighting with severe knots in his hair, having found his clothes rather rumpled, shoes scuffed and his armor in shoddy shape, he sighed rather dejectedly and exited his room. Or he would have if his combat partner hadn't been blocking his way into the hall once he opened the door.

"The master is waiting." The raven-haired woman before him, with her arms folded lightly and had assumed a stance that matched her expression that looked less-than-impressed. At least that part was normal about today.

_'Of course the master was waiting. The master is always waiting.'_ He shook his head, gave a light eye roll and stepped into the hallway. "Indeed. I have been granted the indulgence of looking over the tomes today."

It was a big of a brag, as they were both gunning for the honour of bearing their order's greatest weapon - Albus wanting it even more as he didn't wish for his dear little Shanoa to harm herself in any way. But no, that woman insisted on becoming a warrior - didn't go the safe scholar route - and tended to worry him sick whenever she went on away missions.

Circling an arm around her waist as they walked down the hall, the gesture was meant to be in jest and to annoy her. Frowning visibly, she turned her attention to the hand on her hip and slapped at it rather hard, causing him to withdraw the hand and attempt to shake out the stinging sensation. He grinned mischievously as he put the hand to his mouth for a moment nudging her shoulder with his elbow.

But she did not return the smile like she normally would have. Instead she stopped fully and pointed directly into his face.

"The honour of bearer is going to fall to me, Albus." She suddenly said rather pointedly. "Me. Not you. You can't even channel a simple Ignis glyph through your body - what makes you think you can wield even one piece of Dominus." It wasn't a question, so much as it was a statement and a put down at the same time. All he could do was look at her, dumbstruck by her sudden hostility. "I will win the day. I don't need you, or anyone to do it for me." She continued, her eyes cold and distant as her stare bore into his very soul.

In a whirl of black and blue, she spun on a heel and trudged down the corridor, leaving the Chief Researcher alone with his thoughts. What had he done wrong now? They'd had their share of disagreements, sure, and they had often playfully joked about beating the other to the honour, but it had always been relatively straightforward and without any hard feelings. Had it not? The worst she would do in such a case would lecture him on being reckless and insist that she take his place - never did she stoop to insult him. He knew he could be a bit overbearing with his protectiveness, but she didn't seem to mind - and she knew full well she could challenge his stubbornness on the matter at any time without repercussions.

…What the hell was going on today? There was no time to track her down and try to get some answers from her - once she cooled off, they would be able to talk like civilized human beings again. But now he had to report to Master Barlowe.

Ascending the stairs to the Master's study he passed the room that gave off an incredible aura, slowing his steps as he did, feeling the books of Dominus reach out with their power and pull at his psyche just enough, as if it were greeting him hello. Smiling to himself, he quickened his pace and was soon bade entry to the study by the silver-haired elderly man in green robes that he had come to look up to as a mentor and a sort of father figure, Master Barlowe. Yet Shanoa was there too. Wait… what was going on?

"I have decided on the bearer." Barlowe stated simply, one hand clutching his spell tome that he was rarely ever seen without. "Albus I thank you for your diligence, but you are being removed from the project."

A moment of disbelief passed before he furrowed his brow and incredulously asked "What?! I've worked so hard for this! For you!"

"For me?" Barlowe's expression shifted to dark amusement - something that was far different from his usual stoic features. "No, dear boy, you've been doing it for yourself all along. Your selfishness has cost what you desire." The master strode around behind Shanoa, who also stood with a similar bemused look, and placed his free hand on one of her shoulders before continuing to address his male pupil. "And so this selfless young lady will become the bearer. She knows all about self sacrifice and the greater good."

Such admonishment… from the two people he had actually let into his heart, actually trusted - both of them so coldly jabbing him at the very places that were weak spots within him. Why? What had he done wrong?

"Master, please, reconsider. I have more work to do on handling glyphs, yes, but as far as Dominus is concerned - "

"It concerns you no longer, Albus. You are dismissed."

"I still have some theories to iron out on it -" He started to say but was harshly cut off.

"I said you are dismissed!" Barlowe's voice had raised quite loud, his lecturing tone that Albus had only ever heard a scant few times in his younger days.

"-Dominus might HARM the bearer!" Growing desperate he had practically roared over the latter bit of his second dismissal, causing everyone in the room to fall into wide-eyed silence.

"The needs of the many…" Barlowe murmured, turning his back on both of his pupils momentarily.

"Outweigh the needs of the few," Shanoa finished in a cool tone, her expression having become a rather dark smirk. "Albus, how selfish of you. Really. Not only do you want the honour for yourself, you would deny me, your closest kin, the honour as well? How arrogant."

"Arrogant?" He choked on the word, failing in his attempts to not give into his disbelief. "I am here to serve the light - to save mankind from the darkness - and if I cannot even protect one life, Shanoa, then what is the point?"

"That would be noble," Barlowe interjected, arm crossing, and a hand moving to his chin in thought. "If you actually believed it - you have chosen to throw away the world for the sake of a single person - all of us are ready to die for our cause, Albus. Your lack of acceptance on this matter skirts you ever closer to heresy."

"You. Are calling me a heretic?!" This was almost too much. He raked a hand through his hair, and started with a more wild-eyed disbelief at his kinsmen. "I have given my life to this order and to its cause - and my will to protect everyone, including other order members from being harmed should be a testament of my conviction-"

Suddenly he froze, unable to move. What had happened? His eyes, the only thing that could move, shifted downward and he noticed a trail of ice that led towards him, with Barlowe's spell tome discarded on the ground. The sly old devil had used _Glacius_ on him while he had been distracted with voicing his concerns.

"Unfortunate, but it cannot be helped." Barlowe approached the ice crystal containing his upstart pupil. "We of this order carry such a burden, giving our servitude, our very lives, that man might live his dreams. And our able bearer is the pinnacle of this aim. -You will be confined to your quarters until you can accept my decision - one that is for the greater good, not selfish desires. I had thought better of you, Albus. You disappoint me."

And then everything went black…

Jolting awake, he found he was back in his room. Putting a hand to his forehead he sighed and stared up at the canopy of his lavish four-post bed.

"Finally." Shanoa's voice sounded, and he looked over to watch her cross from the sitting area. Though she was not at all concerned or even relieved. Rather, she had a grin about her like a cat that had swallowed a canary. "So. Would you like to touch the bearer?" She asked as she sat on the edge of his bed, her tone not at all in any way sensual or sultry - it was mocking and hurtful. "See what a _real_ champion feels like?"

Albus furrowed his brow, confused for a moment at her crass behaviour, before he gave her a rather disgusted look and loudly told her to 'get the hell out!'. A low chuckle elicited from her as she reached to poke his nose with a fingertip before she got up and moved to leave him be.

Turning to one side he curling up in to fetal position and let out a long sigh, and a bit of a huff that one gives when trying not to cry. All that he had worked for, had endured, even working with and through his shortcomings… it all felt so useless and hopeless. If it was all going to turn out like this despite all his efforts, then what the hell was the point of even having tried to begin with. It wasn't fair… not fair… and the numb feeling in the very depths of his soul was starting to spread.

What was the point? What was his life worth? What was he supposed to do now? Anyone else would have said 'find a new dream'… with him it wasn't that simple. He was skilled in ways that not many others were - granted not in the right ways to bear Dominus it seemed, but he had intelligence, loyalty and compassion to offer… but in recent years the latter two had been tucked away deep within him for having his kindness stepped on so many times in his past had embittered him towards people that didn't 'make the cut' as it were.

He still cared about humanity as a whole - still wished to fight the darkness that plagued mankind so that innocents could look to the dawn without fear. But up close and personal he just could not be bothered with anyone not of academia or of like-minded pursuits to aid their kind.

And the one soul closest to him, the one soul who had stood by him despite all his faults and his issues, and was the source of him becoming overbearing with his protection of them and the core reason he was obsessed with becoming the bearer… was her.

Maybe… Shanoa and Master Barlowe were right. He was selfish, and he would damn mankind just to save his special one. … No that wasn't quite right. To truly care for someone, he was so sure you would give up everything to see them happy - so if he did bear Dominus in her stead, she would not be saddled with the burden and could go on to perhaps live a long and happy life - and she was in a better position than he to have a family and know happiness outside of a life of conflict and fear/

That is what he would give his life for - so that she, and the rest of humanity, could happily bask in the warmth of the sun and not fear what lurked in the shadows. He curled tighter into himself, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt sleeves. Doubt was settling in with a tight and icy grip. He had been so sure of the matters of his heart for some time now - why the sudden regret?

So he had failed. Fine. Time to cry and pout and rage and get it out of his system, and get over it. He could still provide support to the named bearer. They were, hopefully, still combat partners. And he would assist their greatest weapon as best he could.

_But first he would have to apologize to a couple of people._

Wearily he hauled himself up out of his bed and made the near-endless trek to the Master's study again, politely knocking on the door and swallowing his pride as he announced his presence and stated that he had come to apologize for his behaviour . Albus tended to carry himself in such a way that he usually thought before he acted and so his actions were justifiable in the end. Apologizing for something without meaning - as in only doing it to smooth ruffled feathers at the cost of his own pride - was not his favourite thing to do.

_So yes, today was definitely the worst day of his life._ And was proven so even more so moments later.

He had let himself into the Master's study after there had been a muffled noise and then deathly silence - followed by the pull of Dominus' aura again… and what he saw before him caused something to shatter and break into irreparable pieces.

Master Barlowe was nowhere to be found, and Shanoa's lifeless body lay on the ground - the three pieces of their Order's greatest power hovering over her. He fell to his knees at her side; his eyes wide, mouth agape, body and emotions otherwise numb as he took in the sight before him, his worst fear come true, and fought with registering it in his mind.

_'No… Shanoa… '_ He reached to brush her bangs from her eyes, reflecting on how he had failed to save even one life… and that one life had been the most important one in his eyes. Hand shaking, he gathered her into his arms and held her cold form close, his eyes stinging as they welled up with tears - though he just sat there, clutching her close and staring across the room in mute shock with tears streaming down his face. He didn't know how long he sat there until he felt a sensation of a warm arm curling across his shoulders. Yes, that was right. Dominus was still there, and was now his to command.

Never in a million years would he have wanted to inherit it in such a way - he had been prepared to swallow his pride and continue to support his dearest one in her becoming the bearer - he had been prepared to shift and adapt his role to continue to protect her even if she were to become the blade to banish all evil and would likely burn herself out with the task - but he had intended to stand with her through all that. But it was too late… she was already gone - he didn't know how… but… that was of little consequence now. What mattered was using Dominus and achieving their life goal.

Gently, Albus set Shanoa back down on the floor, arranging her arms in a traditional funeral manner and pressed a kiss to her forehead in farewell. Wiping a sleeve across his eyes, he then stood tall and looked to the three hovering sigils of power, two green and one red.

Drawing them directly towards him and focusing their access point to his forehead, he grimaced when the power coursed through him. '_It's working… I CAN FEEL IT!'_ It was agonizing - it burned with such fervour but the pain in his body was nothing compared to the anguish he felt in his heart. …Anguish that began to diminish the longer he focused on what he was going to do with his newfound powers.

As the new bearer, he would avenge his fallen comrade - and anything and everything that stood to harm humanity would pay - would feel his wrath and righteousness! His world had just lost its light - but he would fight through the night itself to bring light and hope to mankind in her stead. She would have wanted it that way. ….But what was her name, again? It had slipped his mind momentarily, but in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't really matter. He would have to cast off his old life to be able to carry out such a mission. And it wouldn't matter who, or what, stood in his way. He would step over anyone and everyone to eradicate all forces of darkness, and none would stop him as long as he drew breath. If he died in battle, so be it. He felt no remorse on the matter. Nor did he feel anything anymore.

_'And now, my wish will be…'_

Yes… Dominus would make it all… go away…


End file.
